JPH0756227A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the switching of a mode such as an AF mode, a distant view mode, and a fixed focus mode and the display thereof by using an existing liquid crystal panel, a button or the like. CONSTITUTION:The respective modes such as the AF mode, the distant view mode and the fixed focus mode are successively switched every time that one mode selection switch 12 is pushed once. Then, it is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 10 which mode has been selected. However, at least the fixed focus mode is displayed by controlling the lighting of the existing film traveling marks 34A, 34B and 34C of the panel 10. That means, distance information (1M, 1.5M and 3M) showing the fixed focus mode is previously mentioned according to the marks 34A, 34B and 34C of the panel 10. Then, when the fixed focus mode is selected, it is displayed by lighting any of the marks 34A, 34B and 34C or making it flicker.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera capable of automatic focusing (AF), and more particularly to a camera capable of shooting a fixed focal length separately from AF control.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in an AF compact camera,
If all the shooting is performed in the AF mode in which the focus is automatically adjusted according to the shooting distance, it is difficult to perform good focusing depending on the subject condition. For example, AF shooting is difficult under special subject conditions such as distant view shooting that exceeds the AF range-finding limit, shooting when the main subject is moving at high speed, underwater shooting (here, general shallow underwater shooting), etc. is there.

Therefore, in the above-mentioned case, a distant view mode (Japanese Patent Publication No. 47-42332) for focusing at infinity and a fixed focus mode for focusing at a predetermined shooting distance etc. are separated from AF shooting. The shooting method by has been conventionally adopted. For example, when shooting in the distant view mode, press the distant view mode button to display the distant view mode on the LCD panel, disconnect the focus set of the taking lens from AF control, and shoot at the infinity position. There is.

Also, when photographing in the fixed focus mode, the fixed focus mode button is pressed to display the fixed focus mode on the liquid crystal panel and the focus of the photographing lens is set to A.
It is separated from the F control and is photographed at a fixed focus position. In this fixed focus mode, in addition to the mode in which the shooting range from short distance to long distance can be covered by the depth of focus, the shooting distance can be set with the dial in stages and the set shooting distance can be focused. There are also modes that are adapted.

[0005]

By the way, in order to enable shooting in the distant view mode and the fixed focus mode in addition to the AF mode, a function for executing shooting in each mode is provided and A button for selecting a mode and a means for displaying the selected mode are required.

However, if a dedicated mode button is provided for each mode, the number of buttons increases and the usability deteriorates. On the other hand, which mode is selected may be displayed on the liquid crystal panel. In this case, the display of the liquid crystal panel becomes complicated, and it is necessary to prepare a liquid crystal panel capable of such mode display. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and uses the existing liquid crystal panel, buttons and the like to switch modes such as AF mode, distant view mode and fixed focus mode, and perform the mode display. The purpose is to provide a camera that can.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides liquid crystal display means for displaying a film feeding state by display control of a film running mark, and automatic focus adjustment according to a photographing distance. Any one of the modes described above, that is, an autofocus mode for performing, a distant view mode for focusing at infinity, or a mode for shooting in a fixed focus mode for focusing at a predetermined shooting distance or shooting distance range. Of the fixed focus mode is selected by the mode selection switch for selecting the mode of the selected mode and executing the shooting in the selected mode, the distance information described in correspondence with the film running mark on the liquid crystal display means, and the mode selection switch. When selected, the film running mark is displayed or blinked.

[0009]

According to the present invention, each mode such as the automatic focus adjustment mode, the distant view mode and the fixed focus mode is sequentially switched every time the mode selection switch is operated. Which mode is selected is displayed by the liquid crystal display means, but at least the fixed focus mode mode display is carried out by controlling the display of the existing film running mark of the liquid crystal display means. That is, the distance information indicating the fixed focus mode is described corresponding to the film running mark on the liquid crystal display means, and when the fixed focus mode is selected, the fixed running mode is displayed or blinked by displaying or blinking the film running mark. Is displayed so that it is selected.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of a camera according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a rear view showing an embodiment of a camera according to the present invention. In the figure, 10 is a liquid crystal panel, 12 is a mode selection button, and 14 is a finder. The liquid crystal panel 10 has the same display function as the conventional one, and the same mode selection button 12 as the conventional distant view mode button is used.

The lower peripheral portion of the liquid crystal panel 10 has three
Numerical values (1M, 1.5M, 3M) indicating one shooting distance are written (printed). FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the entire circuit of the camera. The circuit of this camera is mainly composed of the central processing unit (CPU) 20, the operation switch group 22, the photometry unit 24, the distance measurement unit 26, the shutter unit 27, the one-frame detection switch 28, the drive circuit 29, etc. together with the liquid crystal panel 10. Is configured.

The operation switch group 22 has, for example, a camera main switch (also a lens cover opening / closing switch), a shutter button, etc. in addition to the mode selection button 12, and the outputs of these switches are added to the CPU 20. It is like this. The photometric unit 24 measures the brightness of the subject and outputs a signal indicating the photometric data to the CPU 20. The distance measuring unit 26 measures the object distance by the triangulation method and outputs the distance measuring data to the CPU 10.

The shutter section 27 is a stepping motor drive lens shutter that electromagnetically opens and closes and controls the shutter blades, and is controlled by a stepping motor drive control signal and an AF magnet drive control signal applied from the CPU 20. That is, when performing shutter control, first, the A magnet is set by the AF magnet drive control signal.
The F magnet is excited to enable the lens drive, and the stepping motor drive control signal drives the stepping motor to move the lens. When the step position corresponding to the distance measurement data measured in advance is reached, the AF magnet is demagnetized to enable the shutter blade drive. After that, when the stepping motor is further driven, the shutter blade opens. Then, when the step position corresponding to the photometric data measured in advance is reached, the stepping motor is rotated in the reverse direction, the shutter blades are closed, and a series of operations is completed at the time of returning to the initial position.

A signal is applied to the CPU 20 from the one-frame detection switch 28 each time one frame of the film is fed, and the CPU 20 drives a drive circuit 29 for driving the zoom motor and the film feeding motor. Output a signal. As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid crystal panel 10 includes a film counter 30, a film loading mark 32, film running marks 34A, 34B, 34C, and a distant view mode mark 36.
Etc. can be displayed, and required display is performed based on a control signal from the CPU 20. Incidentally, conventionally, the battery consumption displayed on the liquid crystal panel 10, flash, backlight compensation,
A self-timer, a date, etc. are not directly related to the present invention, and are omitted in FIG.

Now, when a film is loaded in the camera, a film loading mark 32 is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 10. Then, while the film is being wound, the lighting control of the film running marks 34A, 34B and 34C is performed in the order shown in FIG.
The film running marks 34A, 34 in the order shown in FIG.
Lighting control of B and 34C is performed. Such technology is
It is known from Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-58490.

Next, mode switching of the camera according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First,
When the main switch is turned on, for example, the AF mode is initially set and the liquid crystal panel 10 does not display the AF mode. When the shutter button is pressed in this state, control of the shutter section 27 corresponding to the distance measurement data and the photometry data is performed as described above.

On the other hand, when the mode selection button 12 is pushed one time, the distant view mode for focusing on infinity is set, and the CPU 20 causes the liquid crystal panel 10 to display the distant view mode mark 36 as shown in FIG. The photographer can recognize the mode currently selected by the display of the distant view mode mark 36. Next, when the mode selection button 12 is pushed once again, the fixed focus mode for focusing on the shooting distance of 3M is set, and the CPU 20 operates as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
Display C. 3M is written immediately below the film running mark 34C, and the photographer must select the mode currently selected by the display of the film running mark 34C as the fixed focus mode for focusing on the shooting distance of 3M. Can be recognized.

Then, when the mode selection button 12 is further pushed, a fixed focus mode for focusing at a shooting distance of 1.5 M is set, and the CPU 20 causes the liquid crystal panel 10 to display the film running mark 34B as shown in FIG. Similarly, when the mode selection button 12 is pushed once again, the fixed focus mode in which the photographing distance of 1M is focused is brought about, and the CPU 20 causes the liquid crystal panel 10 to display the film running mark 34A as shown in FIG.

When the mode selection button 12 is pushed once from the state shown in FIG. 8, the AF mode is restored again, and thereafter, each time the mode selection button 12 is pushed, the mode is sequentially switched. FIG. 9 shows another display mode of the liquid crystal panel. As shown in the figure,
In this display example, the film running marks 34C, 34B,
Far (∞), middle, and near are respectively written just under 34A, and these film running marks 34C, 34B, 3
The distant view mode, the intermediate distance fixed focus mode, and the short distance fixed focus mode are displayed by the display of 4A, respectively. In this case, zone focusing is performed on any one of the three blocks of the long, medium, and short distances according to the selected mode.

In this embodiment, the mode selection button 12
When the fixed focus mode is selected by, any one of the film running marks 34A, 34B, 34C is turned on to display the mode, but not limited to this, the film running mark is made to blink. Good. Further, in the present embodiment, the switching of the three modes of the AF mode, the distant view mode, and the fixed focus mode has been described, but it is sufficient that at least the AF mode and the fixed focus mode are included, and in some cases, the distant view mode is not necessary. Good.

Further, the display panel is not limited to the rear portion of the camera, but may be provided on the upper surface of the camera, or may be provided in the finder to confirm the mode switching display while observing the finder field. Furthermore, if a mode selection button is also provided near the release button, the fingertip of the right hand 1
One can select the mode and release operation.

[0022]

As described above, according to the camera of the present invention, the focus mode such as the AF mode, the distant view mode and the fixed focus mode can be selected by operating the conventional distant view mode button as a mode selection button. In addition, since the display of each mode can be performed using the display of the existing liquid crystal panel, the selection operation of each mode can be performed efficiently and effectively.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a rear view showing an embodiment of a camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an entire circuit of the camera shown in FIG.

3 is a plan view used for explaining details of a liquid crystal panel of the camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are diagrams used for explaining lighting control of a film running mark of a liquid crystal panel during film winding and film rewinding, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a liquid crystal panel including display contents in a distant view mode.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a liquid crystal panel including display contents in a fixed focus mode showing a shooting distance of 3M.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a liquid crystal panel including display contents in a fixed focus mode showing a shooting distance of 1.5 M.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a liquid crystal panel including display contents in a fixed focus mode showing a shooting distance of 1M.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another display example of the liquid crystal panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... Liquid crystal panel 12 ... Mode selection button 20 ... CPU 30 ... Film counter 32 ... Film loading mark 34A, 34B, 34C ... Film running mark 36 ... Distant view mode mark

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A liquid crystal display means for displaying a film feeding state by controlling display of a film running mark, an automatic focusing mode for automatically adjusting focus according to a photographing distance, and a distant view mode for focusing at infinity. Alternatively, means for performing photography in each mode of the fixed focus mode for focusing on a predetermined photography distance or a photography distance range, and selecting any one of the modes, and executing photography in the selected mode A mode selection switch, distance information described in correspondence with the film traveling mark on the liquid crystal display means, and when the fixed focus mode is selected by the mode selection switch, the film traveling mark is displayed or blinks. A camera characterized by the fact that 2. The liquid crystal display means has a plurality of film running marks, and the fixed focus mode comprises a plurality of fixed focus modes corresponding to a plurality of preset shooting distances. Distance information indicating a plurality of shooting distances corresponding to each film running mark is written on the periphery of the running mark, and any one of the plurality of fixed focus modes is selected every time the mode selection switch is operated. At the same time, only the film running mark corresponding to the selected fixed focus mode is displayed or blinked.